Where can I buy/build an anti-electrolysis circuit for copper plumbing??

[fancy nospam tunes]

If anybody knows where I can buy an anti-electrolysis circuit (or perhaps, how to build one) for a house and apartment building? Kindly advise.

I'm thinking that copper pipe "wear" can be stopped.

I understand that cruise ships' propellers have an anti-electrolysis device to prevent the props from thinning.

Cheers!

[scott_z500]

Exactly how long do you expect copper pipes to last? I still have the original 1950 ones in my house if that gives you any indication of the realtive quality of them..

[m Ransley]

I dought if it would make a difference Electrolysis occurs mainly when

2 different materials are joined as in copper and steel

[SJF]

And then it is the steel that is corroded, not the copper.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Sounds like your thinking about an impressed current galvanic protection system using an active DC power supply.

Those kind of systems are used to protect underwater and buried metal objects. I know they are used on buried gas lines still using metal pipe, but are being phased out as plastic pipe gets used more and more.

I've never heard of those systems being used to protect the insides of copper pipes, but if there is such a system, probably the folks at Sea-Land Distributors, LLC could point you to it.

Bear in mind that copper plumbing in buildings has to be connected to an electrical ground, per code so that an accidental insulation failure in some appliance connected to the piping does not turn every faucet handle in the place into a death trap. That grounding does make galvanic isolation of the copper piping near impossible, but there are plastic lined nipples which can increase the liquid path between copper and other metals (usually steel) and help retard galvanic corrosion at those joints.

Chemical corrosion of copper pipes "from the inside out" caused by impurities in the water supply is something I hear about, but don't have any information on how to practically prevent it.

HTH,

Jeff

[William W. Plummer]

Jeff Wisnia wrote: ...

Cu pipes can also be eaten away by concrete. All the slab houses in this are are seeing this. I replaced my original pipes with heavy copper. The first ones lasted 30+ years and I don't expect to be around to do the next replacement.